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Canada

Canada became the first country to implement pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages in June 2001. Health warnings were required to cover 50% of the front and 50% of the back of the package (one side in English and the other side in French). A message was required to appear on the inside of each package, either on the slide or on an insert. Canada required tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and benzene emission numbers to appear on the side of packages. Two numbers appeared from each emission: one from the ISO and one from the Health Canada machine smoking method.

A new set of 16 health warnings were implemented in 2012. The new warnings are larger and must cover 75% of the front and back of cigarette and little cigar packages. As of March 1, 2012, manufacturers and importers were prohibited from distributing products without the new health warnings. Retailers were given 3 months (until June 19, 2012) to transition to packages displaying the new warnings.

Canada prohibits the terms “light” and “mild” from appearing on packages.

Plain packaging is under formal consideration in Canada. On May 31, 2016, the Health Minister launched a three-month public consultation about the proposed plain packaging requirements for tobacco products.

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